The Enneagram is everywhere - from yoga retreats to C-suite boardrooms, therapy sessions to prison programs. But who’s guiding the guides? What trends, challenges, and conversations are shaping the future of this powerful tool?

In this episode, I'm joined by Demetrius Parker, a leadership development expert and Enneagram MBA facilitator, for a behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 International Enneagram Association Conference in Minneapolis. It wasn’t just a conference, it was an experience. From poetry and DJ sets to neuroscience and relationship sessions, we talk about what’s changing in the Enneagram world and what still needs protecting.

We talk about:

• What made the IEA Conference feel like a full-body experience, not just a professional event
• Conversations with Enneagram thought leaders like Russ Hudson, Suzanne Stabile, and Mario Sikora
• How the Enneagram is expanding beyond its spiritual roots and into boardrooms, government offices, even the military
• The importance of doing your homework before teaching the Enneagram
• How to use the Enneagram as a path, not an identity

Whether you're an experienced facilitator, an Enneagram enthusiast, or a leader looking to apply personality insight in your team, you’ll walk away with inspiration and insight from the people shaping what’s next in this space.

🛠 Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Demetrius Parker and Trust Leadership Collective 
• Explore Enneagram workshop options for your team 
• Learn more about the Awareness to Action Enneagram framework 
• See what therapy with the Enneagram options are available with Talya Dash
• Check out the Fathoms Podcast
• Read up on the Canadian Armed Forces investing $100,000 into Enneagram programs
• Recommended reading:
  • The Journey Toward Wholeness by Suzanne Stabile
  • Awareness to Action by Mario Sikora
  • Making Team Dynamics Visible by Tang Siok Hion

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

In this extra-special episode of Enneagram at Work, I’m joined by not one, but three guests from the leadership team at 3D Dentists:

• T-Bone (Type 8) – Owner of 3D Dentists and practicing dentist at Raleigh Dental Arts
• Meredith (Type 2/3) – Business Director at 3D Dentists
• Megan (Type 1/8) – Dental Hygienist and Operations Director at Raleigh Dental Arts

I first met this crew at their high-energy 3D Dentists Summit in Nashville, and I knew they'd bring the fun and real-world insights. This conversation is part workplace case study, part leadership roundtable, and part “real talk” about working closely with very different personalities.

We dig into:

• How their Enneagram types shape their leadership styles, communication, and decision-making
• The pet peeves that can cause tension, and how they work through them
• Why trust, directness, and humor keep their team strong (even when they clash)
• Lessons they’ve learned about delegating, giving feedback, and balancing two intertwined businesses
• How understanding type dynamics has changed the way they work with each other and their broader teams

Whether you’re leading a practice, managing a department, or trying to navigate strong personalities on your team, you’ll walk away with practical takeaways for building trust, reducing friction, and creating your own version of a “dream team.”

Learn more about 3D Dentists:

• 3D Dentists – CE training, business coaching & live patient implant training
• Raleigh Dental Arts – Dental practice serving the Raleigh, NC area

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

What does it take to create a winning environment...on the field and in the workplace?

In this episode of Enneagram at Work, former Philadelphia Eagles Player, PhD, and leadership consultant Dr. Dereck Faulkner joins us for a deep dive into the evolution of leadership inside the NFL, and the powerful lessons it holds for business leaders today.

From building trust and mentoring under pressure to using emotional intelligence in high-performance environments, Dr. Faulkner shares insights from his 170+ page dissertation, interviews with NFL executives, and firsthand experience as a wide receiver turned executive.

Whether you're leading a sales team, a corporate department, or a sports team, you'll walk away with a clearer picture of how great leaders lead, and how to shape a culture people want to be a part of.

In this episode:

• What the NFL can teach us about modern leadership
• The shift from command-and-control to servant leadership
• Why your leadership style should evolve over time
• Mentorship vs. advice (and why peer support matters)
• Building trust and harmony in diverse teams
• Why “everyone doing their 1/11th” is the secret to success
• Dr. Faulkner's take on being the CEO of yourself
• Using your "Swiss Army Knife of Leadership" 

>>> Connect with Dr. Faulkner at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dereck-faulkner-ph-d-mba-0548b926/

>>> Learn more about giving to and getting involved with Athletes for Vets: https://www.athletesforvets.org/

Find your next suit: https://www.lewisdeanbespoke.com/

*********

Learn more about developing the team behind the team at your sports organization: https://www.enneagrammba.com/sports-organizations

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

In this episode of Enneagram at Work, Susan Lepart, Director of Operations at McCormack Dental Group and a Type 9 leader, shares her real-world experience using the Enneagram to transform her team dynamics inside a busy multi-location dental practice.

You’ll hear:

• What it was like for Susan to realize she’s a strong Type 9
• How she navigates the common mistyping struggle between Type 2 and Type 9
• What it’s like working for a fast-moving, idea-generating Type 7 owner
• Her leadership growth from avoiding conflict to embracing honest, transparent communication
• Why she brought the Enneagram back to her team and how it’s shaping their culture and collaboration
• A behind-the-scenes peek at how they’re using type awareness to prepare for a staff retreat

Whether you lead a team, work with one, or are simply curious about applying the Enneagram in real-world workplaces, this episode is packed with thoughtful takeaways, relatable insights, and practical inspiration.

🦷 Susan's dental practice: McCormack Dental Group
📧 Reach her: [email protected]
📱 Follow her on Instagram: @susanj3476

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

What happens when a rule-follower and a rule-bender have to work together?

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most contrasting yet surprisingly complementary Enneagram pairings: Type 1 (The Administrator) and Type 7 (The Enthusiast). 

You’ll learn:

•  How each type approaches work, decisions, and collaboration
•  What happens when 1s and 7s work together  and when they drive each other crazy
•  How instinctual subtypes (Preserving, Navigating, Transmitting) flavor each type’s behavior
•  Why Preserving 7s can be mistaken for Type 1s and how to spot the difference
•  Practical tips for navigating friction and playing to each other's strengths

Whether you’re a structured perfectionist or an idea machine (or work with one!), this conversation will help you better understand, appreciate, and collaborate with your workplace opposite.

Mentioned: Awareness to Action Enneagram framework by Mario Sikora

Ready to learn how order and optimism can (actually) work together? Press play.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

If you’ve ever taken a quick Enneagram quiz and walked away thinking, “Hmm, maybe…?” - you’re not alone. 

In this short episode, we’re unpacking the most reliable way to discover your true Enneagram type, especially when you're trying to figure it out through the lens of your professional life.

We’ll cover:

• Why work behavior can sometimes mask your real type
• How to narrow down your top contenders manually
• Why “feeling called out” is actually a great sign
• Our favorite tools: from self-reflection to paid assessments
• What to ask your coworkers or manager to get outside insight

Plus, we’ll share how to access our free question-based quiz and a paid assessment option for those ready to dig deeper.

Whether you're brand new to the Enneagram or still unsure about your type, this one’s for you!

Resources & Links:

• Get the 9 Types Overview Cheat Sheet --> Download Here 
• Take the Free 2-Question Quiz -->  Start Here
• Need professional help typing yourself? We got you. -->  Connect Here

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

This weekend, we’re diving into one of the most common (and possibly the most fascinating) team-leadership dynamics we see in team training sessions: the relationship between Type 6 (Striving to Feel Secure) and Type 8 (Striving to Feel Powerful).

It shows up again and again: Type 8s in leadership roles who are focused on getting things done, moving fast, and protecting their teams... and Type 6s (often the largest group on the team) asking for more clarity, more information, and more certainty before they take action.

This gap in pace and perception can cause friction, but it can also be one of your team’s biggest strengths if you learn to leverage it.

When you listen in, you'll hear more about:

• The core motivations and behaviors of Type 6 and Type 8
• How their instinctual subtypes (Preserving, Navigating, Transmitting) shape how they show up
• Why this pairing often causes miscommunication or frustration
• How to turn this tension into trust, balance, and better decision-making
• Reflection prompts to improve collaboration between these two types

Whether you're a leader, a team member, or somewhere in between, understanding how these two styles operate can be a game-changer for your workplace culture.

Resources Mentioned:

• Read the full blog post: Understanding Type 6 and Type 8 at Work
• The start of the Instinctual Bias series

Listener Reflection:

• Are you more of a “move fast and lead” or “make sure it’s safe first” kind of person?
• Who do you work with that shows up differently, and how could this episode help you meet them where they are?

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

After each Enneagram MBA workshop, we ask: 

Which part of the workshop was most helpful or engaging, and why?

When you listen to this episode, you'll hear the #1 answer and five ideas for giving your own team more opportunities to connect and learn about one another whether you've been through an Enneagram workshop or not. 

Episodes referenced during the episode:

126. Enneagram Discussion Questions for Your Team: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1850780/episodes/13921993

160. Transmitting Type 3 in the Real World feat. Trust Leadership Collective, Demetrius Parker: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1850780/episodes/15514454

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

Derailers (the things that can get us off track) can be some of the most challenging aspects of our personality patterns to confront.

For Type 9s, growth often begins with the realization that peace doesn’t mean disappearing. True harmony includes your voice, your priorities, and your presence.

Nines are the calm in the storm — steady, supportive, and easy to be around. But that same go-with-the-flow energy can become a derailer when it leads to avoiding conflict, deferring decisions, or minimizing their own needs in favor of keeping the peace.

These derailers represent common challenges for Nines. While they may not apply to every individual Nine or all the time, they reflect general tendencies that can show up when things feel overwhelming, emotionally charged, or uncertain.

If you’re still exploring your dominant Enneagram type, noticing a few of these patterns may help you better understand your inner world.

If you already identify as a Type 9, what helps you get back on track when you find yourself procrastinating, zoning out, or saying “yes” to things that aren’t really yours to carry? Your insight might be the encouragement another Nine needs to speak up and step in.

Source: Awareness to Action Enneagram, Mario Sikora

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

For Type 8s, growth often begins with recognizing that strength doesn’t always mean control. It takes a different kind of strength to soften, to be vulnerable, and to trust others without having to test them first.

Eights are natural leaders — bold, decisive, and unafraid to take charge. But when that powerful energy is driven by a need to protect or dominate, it can unintentionally shut others down, create conflict, or block the very connection they crave.

These derailers represent common challenges for Eights. While they may not apply to every individual Eight or apply all the time, they reflect general tendencies that can emerge when trust is low, pressure is high, or emotions feel like a threat.

If you’re still exploring your dominant Enneagram type, seeing a few of these in yourself might help provide some clarity.

If you already identify as a Type 8, what helps you get back on track when your intensity is getting in the way of collaboration or connection? What helps you lead from your power and your heart?

Derailer series source: The Awareness to Action Enneagram 

The Enneagram DIY Workshop Kit:

https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet